Processing of a check issued by a financial institution may involve reading Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (hereinafter, “MICR”) line data that may be printed in a MICR line on a face of the check.
MICR line data may include information relevant to the processing of the check and/or of a scanned image of the check. MICR line data may include a routing transit number (hereinafter, in the alternative, “RTN”). The RTN may include a Federal Reserve routing number and an American Bankers Association (hereinafter, “ABA”) identifier of the financial institution. The MICR line data may also include an identifying number of an account against which the check may be drafted, an amount of currency for which the check may be written, and an identifying item number of the check itself.
MICR line data may be read by an electronic device. The electronic reading device may be sensitive to magnetic properties of magnetic ink used to print MICR line data on the face of the check.
An electronic device may be used to produce an optically scanned image of the MICR line. The electronic device may be used to produce the scanned image of the check. The scanned image of the MICR line may be part of the scanned image of the check.
Processing of the check may be hindered by defective MICR line data on the check, in the reading of the MICR line data and/or in the scanned image of the MICR line. A defect may originate as a missing element of the MICR line data, e.g., from a tear, fold or crease in the material, generally paper, of the check. The defect may originate as a low quality element of the MICR line data, e.g., improper, stained, smudged and/or covered printing. The defect may originate as an improper reading of the check or the MICR line data, e.g., via a glitch in an electronic reading/scanning device and/or in a check transport device that may deliver the check to the electronic reading/scanning device. The defect may originate from any other source of processing-hindering defect in the MICR line on the check and/or in the MICR line data. The defect may render the check an “exception” to normal check processing: the check may be subject to “exception and defect” processing.
Exception and defect processing may include processing a check featuring a defect. Exception and defect processing may include processing a check featuring a defect in the MICR line on the check and/or in the MICR line data. Exception and defect processing may include correction of defective MICR line data. Correction of defective MICR line data may be required for return of the check to normal check processing. However, correction of defective MICR line data typically involves human intervention.
Correction of defective MICR line data by human intervention may involve human assessment of the MICR line on the check and/or in the scanned image. Correction of defective MICR line data by human intervention may involve human replacement of the defective MICR line data. Human intervention may be slow and inefficient.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide apparatus, methods and media for correction of defective MICR line data without recourse to human assessment or human replacement of the MICR line data.